Smells Like Rain
by FaItHzAnGeL
Summary: "His eyes widened and a part of him broke with disappointment. Clark’s eyes stung with disappointment and hurt and heartache as he quietly replied with a simple, clipped, and short, and perhaps even a bit too fast, 'Oh.'"


**Title:** _Smells like Rain_

**Author:** FaItHzAnGeL

**E-mail:** fivexangel@aol.com or One_and_Only@theslayer.net

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.  I just like to play.  I'll give them back, promise! …except maybe Chloe and Lana…yum ^^;

**Spoilers:** None

**Dedication:** To Smallville fans and Clana fans everywhere!

**Smells like Rain**

They lay on a blanket in the middle of the tall stalks of grass, staring up into the sky.  It was a hot summer's day, the sky a bright a blue as he'd ever seen in his life here in Kansas.  Clark Kent turned on his side as he watched as Lana Lang continued to stare up at the baby blue vast above them.  "I can't believe that the summer's almost over," she said to him as he just watched her.

"You know, sometimes I wonder what life would be like if you weren't around, Clark."  His brow crinkled lightly, and without even looking at him, she grinned, "I mean that in a good way Clark."  She closed her eyes; "I'd be with Whitney, feeling out of place, like I was playing a part in a play, the background player, the girl with no voice, no impact."  Her eyes opened, noticing the cloud that suddenly looked like a bunny, "Or, I might even be dead, feeling nothing but regret.  If it weren't for you, Clark, I'd just be another statistic on the Wall of Weird."

He wasn't sure about where this was going, but he smiled anyway, feeling content in just lying here next to her.  To watch the beauty of her skin tan just a little more, the soft glow that was always there, the great smile that made his heart melt, the eyes he'd love to stare into longingly – that'd never happen though, they were _just_ friends.

"I wish that I could meet a guy like you, who I could rely on."  A bit of the light that always emanated from Lana seemed to darken, "Instead of being the one to rely on, to hold the pieces all the time.  Be the support while I just hold on by a thread, teetering left, teetering right, and it's like nobody even sees."  He opened his mouth to talk, but she continued on, "Except one person."  Clark Kent's brow furrowed lightly.  "He's sweet.  Sweeter than he should be sometimes, and it amazes me how much he's willing to help me, to let me vent and whine."  She laughed and Clark's heart skipped a beat – a laugh from the Lang was all it took to make his day even brighter, he secretly just wished he could hear it when he passed the hall, because when Lana was happy, all was well with the world, and he loved seeing her happy.  It meant more smiles, and less heartache and tears.

"He's always there, this person of mine.  When I need him most, making sure that I'm all right.  That everything's ok, and he thinks I don't know, but I know he lives to see me happy – which makes me feel warm in a way I've never felt."  Clark raised an eyebrow, and Lana looked at him from the corner of his eyes, "Not that way, Clark, jeez."  She listened as he snorted a small laugh that brought a smile to her face, "But little does he know I live for his."  Clark stopped, everything stopped, and his face softened – a foolish grin plastered permanently on his face.  "I never tell him though, and I wish that I could.  With summer coming, I'm sure everything's about to be complicated, school and everything."

The cryptic talk began to worry him a bit suddenly well aware of how his feelings spread all over his face.  "I'll wonder, once his friend comes back from her…trip in the big city, he'll find no time for me.  That he'll realize that she might be a better match for him than me."  She smiled lightly, "That, I'm just a friend of consequence.  Would he still be around me if he hadn't saved me?  If I hadn't trusted him because of it?"  She grinned, "I guess I'm just starting to ramble now."

There was silence, and Clark Kent's heart was beating faster than he'd ever heard it – even when he was out running himself, going faster than a locomotive.  "Lana…"

She grinned, "You know what I love the most about him?"  He, again, was speechless, the words _love_ and _him_ (he was pretty sure he'd broken the cryptic code) used in the closest proximity possible made him more ecstatic that he could die now and he'd be happy.  The grin wider times ten.  "What?" he asked still staring at her, knowing that she had yet to once look at him – to _really_ look at him.

"His heart."  She turned to look at him, and smiled lightly, "Think that if I ever told him, he'd run away?"

He smiled, thinking about it, and he shrugged goofily, "Anything's possible, Lana."  His eyes stared into hers, "But I highly doubt it.  If you…love him the way you say you do…then…"

"What?"

He brushed her hair behind her ear gently as he softly said, "He loves you too."  Lana smiled, brightly, and Clark's heart spun.  "Great, then I'll go tell Lex next time I see him..."

His eyes widened and a part of him broke with disappointment.  Clark's eyes stung with disappointment and hurt and heartache as he quietly replied with a simple, clipped, and short, and perhaps even a bit too fast, "Oh."

She sat up quickly as Clark began to stand, but she stopped him, "…to tell him thanks.  He was right about my him."  She pulled Clark down, and she laid a hand on his cheek.  "Huh?" was all the farm boy could say.

Lana grinned as she whispered, "You're a strange one, Clark Kent." and gently, pressed her lips against his, grazing them lightly.  For that moment, Clark's skin hummed.  She pulled away, and he stared into her eyes longingly, and he grinned, "Next time I see Lex, I think I might just hug him for dear life."  Lana blushed as she raised an eyebrow, "Competition, aye?"

She stood up, holding out her hand, "We better go."  She held him close as the started to walk, taking the blanket with them, "Why?"  Clark asked.  She smiled as the skies took on a darker shade of blue, and a familiar scent filled the air, "It smells like rain."


End file.
